The Los Angeles Rams’ Fred Brown can’t make the catch under pressure from the Oakland Raiders’ Rashaan Melvin during their NFL exhibition game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Sean Mannion throws the ball against the Oakland Raiders during their NFL exhibition game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Sound

The gallery will resume inseconds

The Los Angeles Rams’ Malcolm Brown is wrapped up by the Oakland Raiders defense during their NFL exhibition game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Oakland Raiders’ Frostee Rucker is upended during their NFL exhibition game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Sean Mannion is greeted by head coach Sean McCoy and starting quarterback Jared Goff during their NFL exhibition game against the Oakland Raiders at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Rams’ Marqui Christian knocks the helmet of the Raiders’ Denver Kirkland during their NFL exhibition game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Los Angeles Rams’ Nate Holley runs the ball as the Oakland Raiders’ Antonio Hamilton tries to tackle him during their NFL exhibition game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is in the middle of a major renovation, seen here, before the Los Angeles Rams NFL exhibition game against the Oakland Raiders in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Los Angeles Rams take the field before their NFL exhibition game against the Oakland Raiders at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Los Angeles Rams cheerleaders entertain the crowd during the Rams’ NFL exhibition game against the Oakland Raiders at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff and head coach Sean McVay pace the sidelines during their NFL exhibition game against the Oakland Raiders at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A serious fan watches the NFL exhibition game of the Rams against the Oakland Raiders at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A Raiders flag flies during the NFL exhibition game between the Rams and the Oakland Raiders at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden on the sidelines during their NFL exhibition game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A Los Angeles Rams fan shows his team spirit during their NFL exhibition game against the Oakland Raiders at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Los Angeles Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein kicks a field goal during the Rams’ 19-16 victory over the Oakland Raiders during their NFL exhibition game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Los Angeles Rams mascot Rampage interacts with a Oakland Raiders fan during the Rams’ 19-16 victory during their NFL exhibition game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Brandon Allen throws a pass during the Rams’ 19-16 victory over the Oakland Raiders during their NFL exhibition game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Los Angeles Rams Henry Krieger-Coble hauls in a pass during the Rams’ 19-16 victory over the Oakland Raiders during their NFL exhibition game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Brandon Allen hands off the ball to Nick Holley during the Rams’ 19-16 victory over the Oakland Raiders during their NFL exhibition game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Oakland Raiders’ James Cowser is called for a facemask penalty on the Los Angeles Rams’ Nick Holley during the Rams’ 19-16 victory over the Oakland Raiders during their NFL exhibition game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday Aug. 18, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

LOS ANGELES — The game couldn’t have been more vanilla. Not even French vanilla. Certainly no chocolate chips. The Rams and Raiders had two goals: to stay healthy and not show each other anything.

Things will change next time, on Sept. 10, when these teams open the regular season against each other in Oakland. Saturday’s teaser, a glorified practice filled with backup players, provided a good opportunity for the Rams’ defensive reserves to thrive in a 19-15 victory over the Raiders at the Coliseum.

Both coaches rightfully seemed reluctant to reveal much, in terms of plays, personnel groupings or audibles, so most starters remained on the sideline. The Rams even ran some early plays out of an offset-I formation, and that’s not something anyone will see once the calendar flips to September.

“There was a very similar approach by both teams,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “For the most part, it was pretty regulated, and that’s what we were expecting.”

To date, the Rams’ preseason has been most notable for its absences. For a second consecutive game, McVay chose to play only two starters: guard Jamon Brown and linebacker Samson Ebukam.

Starters almost never appear in the final preseason game, which means next Saturday’s game against Houston at the Coliseum would be the final time for top players such as Jared Goff, Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks, Ndamukong Suh and Aqib Talib, whose preparation has been limited to training-camp practices.

After Saturday’s game, McVay said people should “expect to see some” starters against the Texans, but also left open the possibility that players such as Goff and Gurley might sit out the entire preseason.

“I think those guys would both tell you that they want to play,” McVay said. “Being able to listen to those guys and understand where they’re coming from, in getting into a little bit of a rhythm and put some pads on and actually get tackled, that’s something we want to think about.”

A solid crowd of approximately 60,000 turned out Saturday, and Raiders fans dominated it. Concerns about fan conduct largely were unfounded, as major incidents seemed to be limited to three fights in the fourth quarter, and Raider fans didn’t have much to cheer for until deep in the second half.

The Rams scored 10 first-half points off turnovers on their way to a 16-0 third-quarter lead, and the Raiders didn’t pick up their second first down of the game until midway through the third quarter.

Oakland rallied with two touchdowns and pulled within 16-15 with 9:52 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Coach Jon Gruden elected to go for a two-point conversion and the run attempt failed. The Rams added a late field goal and everyone seemed grateful to head to the locker room.

Exactly why these teams were scheduled to play two games in a 24-day span is a mystery, and neither coach seemed particularly happy about his team’s participation.

“I don’t know, in the history of the NFL, if that has ever happened,” Gruden said. “I’m not going to sit here and cry about it, because it’s the same for them as it is for us. We didn’t want to play our starters and we didn’t want them to hear our audibles and hand signals, and I don’t think they wanted us to get a feel for them either. So it was a strange game in that regard.”

And in a few other ways. The Rams tried out a new-look offensive line with two rookies — Joe Noteboom at left tackle and Brian Allen at center — and that unit played well. Another rookie, John Franklin-Myers, shifted from linebacker to start at defensive end, and recorded one of the Rams’ four sacks.

Rams’ backups were less effective on offense, although second-string quarterback Sean Mannion showed moderate improvement over his shaky effort last week in Baltimore. Mannion played the first half and completed 10 of 16 attempts for 84 yards, zero touchdowns and zero interceptions.

“I just felt like it was efficient,” Mannion said. “I didn’t think there were any balls that I forced, or any balls that I had open and missed. I think it was an efficient day for the offense as a whole.”

John Kelly led the Rams with 42 rushing yards, and scored their only touchdown on a 2-yard run early in the second quarter. The biggest impact might have been made by rookie receiver KhaDarel Hodge, who made a brilliant 47-yard catch in the second quarter.

Rich Hammond was a high school senior when the Rams left town in 1995, and now he's their beat writer for the Southern California News Group. A native of L.A., Rich broke in at the Daily Breeze as a college freshman and also has covered USC, the Kings, the Lakers and the Dodgers. He still loves sports and telling stories. Don't take the sarcastic tweets too seriously.